


The Past

by TransformersG1fan271



Category: Gravity Falls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-15
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-24 17:41:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9776852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TransformersG1fan271/pseuds/TransformersG1fan271
Summary: Dipper meets his idol at the lowest point in his life.





	

**Author's Note:**

> If this looks familiar it's because I've posted this to my DA and tumblr of the same name :3

Dipper felt as if he was floating in midair, the bright light around him beginning to fade as the familiar interior of the Mystery Shack came into view to his delight. Dipper and Mabel had accidentally run into Ford’s lab chasing after Waddles, and before Dipper could stop his sister she knocked off one of Ford’s inventions off a table, Dipper trying his hardest to catch the device as it hit the ground with a bright flash of light. He now seemed to be in the Mystery Shack, only as he looked around a feeling of slight dread as the room was cluttered from bottom to top with papers, empty coffee cups and scribbled out messages on the walls. What alarmed Dipper most was the drops of blood all over the floor and tables, the fifteen-year old jumping out of his skin when the front door slammed open and shut quickly after, a tall and haggard figure stumbling towards the living room. Dipper quickly moved so he was behind what looked like an empty fish tank, eyes wide as he watched the person sink into a chair covered with papers that crunched under their weight as they sighed. It was none other than his grunkle Ford, yet the man was nearly thirty-five years younger than Dipper had ever seen him. He was wearing a stained lab coat that had blood dotted down on the right side, a black buttoned up shirt that had seen better days that was wrinkled and looked as if it hadn’t been washed in a long time. His tan slacks were covered in coffee and oil stains, black shoes nearly worn through from the work on the portal, Dipper quietly realizing that this must have been a time after Fiddleford had left his uncle after their accident.  
  
All in all Ford looked tired and scared, his hands shaking as the older male rummaged through his pockets, surfacing with a flask he proceeded to knock back and drain until it was empty, tossing the empty container right next to Dipper. The teen watched as Ford placed a hand over his right eye with a grunt of pain, pulling it away to reveal the blood pouring down his cheek as his eye faintly glowed a yellow that Dipper was all too familiar with.  
  
“No…no I won’t let you.” Ford’s voice was shaky, the man withdrawing a blade from another hidden pocket while poising to drive it into his hand. The researcher was stopped just before the metal pierced his skin, one blue eye glancing up to see a teenager had grabbed his wrist before Ford could stab himself, their expression firm as the knife was taken from his slack grasp and tossed away. “W-What?”  
  
“No grunkle Ford, you can’t keep doing that to yourself.” The teen spoke as if he knew Ford, which was impossible as Ford had alienated everyone from him because of his research and Bill.  
  
“Who are you? How did you get in my house?!” Ford demanded once the shock wore off, shoving the teen away from him as he snatched up the crossbow beside his chair and aimed it at the teen.  
  
“Grunkle Ford stop! I’m not here to hurt you!” Dipper backed away with his hands raised, suddenly regretting revealing himself as the older man advanced with an angry look on his face.  
  
“Why do you speak as if you know me?! Have you come to steal my eyes?!” Ford’s voice grew louder as he notched the arrow all the way back, Dipper’s eyes flashing with fear.  
  
“Bill didn’t send me!” Ford paused as Dipper flinched away from him, eyes trained at the deadly weapon pointed his way. “Bill didn’t send me! I swear on my life!”  
  
“Y-You…you know of my Muse?” The weapon was slowly lowered as Ford swayed and staggered back into his chair, his energy gone as he watched Dipper slowly straighten from his semi-crouched position.  
  
“Yes...” Dipper began cautiously, standing still despite wanting to give Ford something to help with the pain he had to be in. “I…I come from a place he’s been to…” Dipper was worried of revealing too much, realizing he must have somehow traveled back in time to before Ford had gone through the portal. Ford looked astonished to hear this from Dipper, watching in slight suspicion as the teen went into the next room and returned with a glass of water and what must have been an aspirin. “Here, this should help you feel a little better.”  
  
“Thank you…what is your name?” The teen looked a bit flustered before giving Ford a small smile, something he hadn’t seen in a long time.  
  
“My name is Mason.”  
  
“Thank you, Mason…i-it’s been a while since I’ve had someone…”  
  
“I know…and I’m sorry for what is happening to you.” Dipper spoke softly, slowly sitting down on the nearby table as Ford took the aspirin and drained the water with a satisfied sigh. It was clear that Ford didn’t take much care of himself, and Dipper had read the fabled journals enough times to realize this had to be the very long period of time where Ford had pretty much gone insane from the paranoia caused by Bill.  
  
“You speak as if you know me…why?” Ford questioned, shakily trying to stand as he felt a rush of exhaustion wrack through his body and he knew he needed to stay awake.  
  
“Let’s just say I’ve…read your work?” Dipper spoke awkwardly, quickly moving to his grunkle’s side when Ford wavered and nearly fell onto his side.  
  
“Y-You have? No, that doesn’t make since…perhaps you found F’s document…” Ford rambled to himself, not realizing he was being guided away towards his bedroom until he felt the soft carpet from underneath his feet. “Wait, I need to get coffee…”  
  
“No, you need sleep.” Dipper said firmly while pretty much all but shoving Ford onto his slightly dusty bed, taking off his grunkle’s boots and lab coat before he could say anything. “You need your sleep.”  
  
“You know of Bill child, surely you know what will happen if I let him take control!” Ford snapped in anger, though he was more terrified of what would happen if he fell asleep without some sort of restraints.  
  
“Don’t you worry about him, I’ll take care of everything.” Dipper watched as Ford lay back against his pillows wearily, already looking as if he would drop right then and there. “Just get some sleep, and it’ll be ok.”  
  
“If you say so…thank you Mason…” With that Ford was unconscious, Dipper pacing slightly as his grunkle began to snore lightly without much of a hint of waking. Tapping the side of his leg Dipper brightened when a thought came to mind, and after tying up Ford’s hands and feet just in case Dipper went to town.  
  
When Ford woke, he felt…refreshed. Sitting up with a few of his bones cracking back into place he noticed a note on his bedside table beside a small pill bottle, picking it up while rubbing the back of his neck.  
  
  
_Dear grunkle Ford, I wish I could stay but unfortunately, I had to go back home. The pills are tranquilizers, light doses that last about six hours at the max per pill. Only take one at a time, and you’ll find that Bill can’t exactly do much when you’re drugged up. I wish I could tell you a lot of things, but I can’t. Just be safe, ok?_  
 _There are people out here who care._  
 _Signed, M_  
  
  
Dipper blinked as the machine powered down, the Mystery Shack looking just like he had left it.  
  
“Dipper my boy! We’ve been looking all over for you!” Ford’s happy voice filtered from behind some trees, the researcher joining the twin who held out the device with a sheepish smile.  
  
“Sorry grunkle Ford, it kind of…took me somewhere is all.” The teen laughed, rubbing the back of his neck as Ford gave him a curious look. The teen smiled weakly under his gaze, but Ford shook his head and motioned towards the Shack with a wry grin.  
  
“Well it wouldn’t do to keep Stanley and Mabel in a tizzy, now would it…Mason?” Ford’s laughter cut through the air as Dipper choked in surprise, the two walking back arm in arm where Mabel and Stan waited.


End file.
